The instant invention relates to easel hinges and more particularly to an easel hinge which is adapted to be more effectively plated, such as a by black oxide plating solution.
Easel hinges of the general type disclosed in the ROY U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,994,045 and 4,050,117 have generally been found to be highly effective for applications such as hingeably connecting the supporting leg of a picture frame to the backing board of the frame. An easel hinge of this type generally comprises first and second hinge plates, each including a substantially flat main portion and a rolled barrel portion which is integrally attached to the main portion thereof. The barrel portions of an easel hinge of this type are received in pivotable interfitting relation for connecting the hinge plates thereof so that they are hingeable between a closed position wherein the main portions are in substantially parallel, closely adjacent relation and an open position wherein the main portions are in angular relation. An easel hinge of this type generally further comprises a pair of rosette fastening elements on the outwardly facing sides of the hinge plates thereof for securing one of the hinge plates to the backing board of a picture frame and the other hinge plate to the supporting leg of the frame.
Heretofore easel hinges of the above described type have generally been made from steel and in most cases they have had protective black oxide layers and/or corrosion resistant wax coatings on the surface thereof. In this regard, black oxide surface layers have generally been applied to easel hinges of the above described type by immersing them in caustic salt solutions and corrosion resistant wax coatings have generally been applied to hinges by immersing them in liquid baths of corrosion resistant waxes. However, it has been found that in many cases unless the main portions of the hinge plates of an easel hinge are maintained in spaced relation when the hinge is immersed in a caustic salt solution, residual amounts of caustic salt solution can be left on the main portions even after rinsing. It has been further found that this can generally cause the main portions to later rust or corrode. Further, it has been found that unless the main portions of the hinge plates of a hinge are spaced apart when the hinge is immersed in a corrosion resistant wax, the wax generally fails to properly coat the mating surfaces of the main portions. Accordingly, the uncoated portions of the mating surfaces often have increased levels of susceptibility to rust and corrosion.
The instant invention effectively overcomes the above disadvantages of the heretofore available easel hinges by providing an effective easel hinge wherein the mating surfaces of the main portions of the hinge plates thereof are maintained in slightly spaced relation when the hinge is in a closed position. Accordingly, the hinge of the subject invention is adapted to permit a coating solution, such as a caustic salt solution, to be effectively rinsed from the hinge plates and it is also adapted to permit the mating surfaces of the main portions to be effectively coated with a corrosion resistant wax coating. Specifically, the easel hinge of the subject invention comprises first and second hinge plates having first and second main portions and first and second barrel portions, respectively. The first and second main portions have first and second mating surfaces thereon, respectively, and the first and second barrel portions cooperate to hingeably connect the hinge plates so that they are hingeable about a hinge axis between a closed position wherein the mating surfaces are in closely adjacent, substantially parallel relation, and an open position wherein the mating surfaces are in angular relation. The easel hinge of the subject invention further comprises dap means on at least one of the mating surfaces for maintaining the main portions of the hinge plates in spaced relation when the hinge is in the closed position. The dap means preferably comprises a pair of daps which are preferably both disposed on the same hinge plate and the daps are preferably positioned so that they are spaced in a direction substantially parallel to the hinge axis. The easel hinge preferably further comprises first and second pairs of rosette fastening elements on the outwardly facing sides of the main portions of the first and second hinge plates and the fastening elements on each hinge plate are preferably also spaced in a direction substantially parallel to the hinge axis. Further, each of the daps is preferably formed and positioned so that it encircles an aperture in one of the rosette fastening elements on the inwardly facing mating surface of a hinge plate. Still further, the first barrel portion is preferably received in encircling relation around the second barrel portion and the first barrel portion preferably has at least one drain hole therein for draining liquid, such as coating solution, from between the first and second barrel portions.
It has been found that the easel hinge of the instant invention can be effectively immersed in a coating solution, such as a caustic salt solution, and that because the daps maintain the main portions of the hinge plates in closely spaced relation, residual amounts of coating solution can be effectively washed from the surfaces thereof. Further, because the first barrel portion preferably has at least one drain hole therein, plating solution can be effectively washed from between the first and second barrel portions. Still further, because the main portions of the hinge plates are maintained in closely spaced relation when they are in the closed positions thereof, a corrosion resistant wax can be more effectively applied to the mating surfaces of the hinge plates.
The closest prior art to the subject invention of which the applicant is aware is disclosed in the aforementioned U.S. Patents to ROY and the CIRELLI U.S. Pat. No. 3,984,900. However, these references fail to suggest the concept of providing daps on the mating surfaces of the hinge plates of an easel hinge in order to maintain the mating surfaces of the hinge plates in spaced relation during a plating and/or coating operation and hence, they are believed to be of only general interest with respect to the subject invention
Accordingly, it is a primary object of the instant invention to provide an easel hinge which is adapted to be effectively immersed in a coating or plating solution.
Another object of the instant invention is to provide an easel hinge which is adapted to maintain the hinge plates thereof in closely spaced relation when they are in the closed positions thereof.
An even further object of the instant invention is to provide an easel hinge comprising first and second hinge plates, first and second pairs of rosette fastening elements on the first and second hinge plates, respectively, and a pair of daps on the inwardly mating surface of at least one of the hinge plates which encircle the apertures in the rosette fastening elements on the same hinge plate.
An even further object of the instant invention is to provide an easel hinge comprising first and second hinge plates, including first and second barrel portions, respectively, wherein the first barrel portion encircles the second barrel portion and has a drain hole formed therein.
Other objects, features and advantages of the invention shall become apparent as the description thereof proceeds when considered in connection with the accompanying illustrative drawings.